Mode Moderne - 'Occult Delight'

Album Info

Label: Light Organ Records

7 / 10
Vancouver’s Mode Moderne return with their hearts and influences stitched on their sleeves. ‘Occult Delight’ is their second album, and once more they draw a cultural bridge between modern-day Canada and the greyed tones of 1980s Manchester. A weighted nod to Joy Division’s density of emotion here, a fleeting echo of Morrissey’s vocal tics there. But there’s plenty to elevate the band beyond copycat status. The tracks flow with ease: ‘Grudges Crossed’ provides a strong melodic hook upon which to hang your affection, and ‘Thieving Baby’s Breath’ lends a sense of stark and industrial alienation that runs throughout the record. The gloom is then lifted by the deviant lilt of ‘Unburden Yourself.’ A gently addictive and well-balanced offering.